BPS 256: The High And Lows Of Working In Hollywood With Kevin Reynolds

Imagine you are in a film school and you make a student film. Then
that student film get's seen by Steven Spielberg and he calls you
into his office to offer you a deal to direct a feature film
version of that short. Well, that is exactly how today's guests go
his start.

On the show, we have the legendary writer/director Kevin Reynolds.
Kevin directed the worldwide blockbuster Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves, the epic Rapa Nui, and the infamous and misunderstood
Waterworld.

Kevin Reynolds made his big career leap from election lawyer and
political speechwriter to pursue his childhood passion for writing
- enrolling into film school at the University of Southern
California.

In 1980, Reynolds’s debut film Proof landed him a shot right out of
USC to work with Steven Spielberg. The film was later produced as
Fandango in 1985, written and directed by Reynolds.

Five college buddies from the University of Texas circa 1971 embark
on a final road trip odyssey across the Mexican border before
facing up to uncertain futures in Vietnam and otherwise.

In 1991, Reynolds directed the $48 million action-adventure film of
the time, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, that grossed $390 million
worldwide. This action-filled fan favorite follows Robin and his
Moorish companion’s adventure to England and his fight back against
the Sheriff of Nottingham’s tyranny.

He followed up Robin Hood with the epic Rapa Nui. The film the love
between the representatives of two warring tribes changes the
balance of power on the whole of the famous Easter Island. The film
failed to find an audience in its initial release but has since
become a cult favorite.

His next directorial outing is the legendary Waterworld starring
Kevin Costner. Waterworld was labeled the most expensive movie ever
made ($175 million) until Titanic dethroned it a few years later.
The press said it was the biggest flop of all time as well but
nothing could be farther from the truth.

When the film was finally released it made $264 million worldwide.
The film went on to become one of the most valuable IPs in the
Universal Studios library. The company created a theme park out of
the film that has last over 25 years in multiple parks around the
world and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars for
Universal.

In a future where the polar ice-caps have melted and Earth is
almost entirely submerged, a mutated mariner fights starvation and
outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl
try to find dry land.

Reynolds’s critically acclaimed historical adventure film
adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo novel in 2002, which
starred versatile actor James Caviezel, was a remarkable comeback
project after a five-year hiatus. The film is about revenge
after a man, falsely accused by three jealous friends, sought to
avenge his wasted years of somewhat imprisonment serving a wealthy
Italian cleric.

Kevin and I discuss the highs and lows of directing in Hollywood,
working with Steve Spielberg, his ever-changing relationship with
friend Kevin Coster, how he dealt with directing Waterworld and so
much more.

Enjoy my conversation with Kevin Reynolds.

Become a supporter of this podcast:
https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bulletproof-screenwriting-podcast--2881148/support.